The Islamists insurgents in Iraq have seized four cities and are now moving closer to capital Baghdad. According to AP, the Al Qaeda-inspired group has said that it will march on Baghdad after seizing two key Sunni cities in Iraq.

This comes even as Iraq’s parliament has called for an emergency session to vote on declaring a state of emergency after Islamic militants seized key cities in the country’s Sunni heartland.

Lawmakers were to convene at noon on Thursday to consider a request by embattled Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who has asked them to declare the state of emergency following the push by fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant into Sunni-dominated cities north of Baghdad.

Yes-votes from two-thirds of the 325-member parliament are required to approve a state of emergency, which grants the prime minister wider powers in running the country. Legal experts say those could include powers to impose curfews, restrict public movements and censor the media.